Hydraulic cement retaining shoe



Feb. l0, 1959 R. R. RENOUF 2,872,983

HYDRAULIC CEMENT RETAINING SHOE Feb, 10, 1959 R. R. RENOUF HYDRAULIC CEMENT RETAINING sHoE 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Oct. 20. 1955 ATI'D RN EYS 2,872,983 I'YDRAULIC 'CEMENT RETAINING SHOE Ralph R. Renouf, Tulsa, kla., assignor to Larkin and Company Inc., Butler, Pa.

Application october zo, 195s, serial No. 541,657

6 claims. (ci. 16e- 141) This invention relates to well cementing apparatus used for sealing oi water and gas from formations of strata around a well string or casing, 'and in particular to a mandrel having a ball checkvalve retained -therein by shear pins with inner land outer sleeves also retained in position with shear pins, and with a rubber expansible sleeve providing a packing element secured between the inner sleeve and a shoe on thel lowerend of the mandrel.

The purpose of this invention is to provide an `irnproved mandrel through which cement for a lining of a well may be supplied.

Various types of devices have been provided for applying cement linings to wells, however, in such devices check -valves and particularly ball check valves are used and the valve structure reduces `the area of the mandrel obstructing the iiow of cement through the device and the valve structure also makes the shoe diicult to clean. With this thought in mind this invention contemplates a hydraulic cement retaining shoe having a valve element retained in spaced relation to the lower end of the shoe vwith `shear pins whereby hydraulic pressure applied to the mandrel above the valve causes the pins to shear permitting the valve to drop to the lower end of the shoe whereby the valve structure is removed from the path of the cement flowing through the shoe.

The object of this invention is, therefore, to provide means for mounting a check valve in a hydraulic cement retaining shoe whereby the valve structure is adapted to be moved below the path of cement iiowing through the device by hydraulic pressure.

Another object of the invention is to provide a hydraulic cement retaining shoe in which ports through walls of the shoe are sealed with an outer sleeve which is retained in position with shear pins and wherein upon the application of pressure the pins are sheared relieving the outer sleeve permitting the sleeve to be moved upwardly to open ports through walls of the mandrel of the device.

Another important object of the invention is to provide a hydraulic cement retaining shoe having a rubber packing in which the yrubber packing is actuated by an inner sleeve retained in inoperative position with shear pins whereby pressure upon the device shears the pins of the inner sleeve permitting the inner sleeve to actuate the rubber packing to an extended position for sealing the well bore.

A further object of the invention is to provide an improved hydraulic cement retaining shoe which is of a simple and economical construction.

With these and other objects and advantages in view `the invention embodies a hydraulic cement retaining shoe including a mandrel having a valve seat retained by shear pins in the intermediate part, a plastic ball adapted to rest upon the valve seat for sealing the mandrel, an inner sleeve slidably mounted between the mandrel and anV outer sleeve, shear pins extended thronghthe sleeves and mandrel for retaining the sleeves in inoperative positions, a packing rubber extended around Athe mandrel,

"retained in position by a shoe and positioned to be engaged by an end of the inner sleeve, and .a stop ring positioned in the lower end of the mandrel for arresting downward movement of the valve seat when hydraulic pressure is applied to the valve elements.

Other features and advantages of the invention will appear from the following description taken in connection with the drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 is a vertical section through the hydraulic cement retaining shoe with the parts in the starting or inoperative positions and with parts broken away, the section being taken on line 1-1 of Fig. 2.

Figure la is a vertical section adapted to be extended from the lower` end of Fig. 1 illustrating a modication wherein a conventional shoe is replaced with a lloat shoe.

Figure 2 is a cross lsection through the device taken on line 2-2 of Fig. l.

Figure 3 is a sectional plan taken on line 3 3 of Fig. la illustrating a valve seat with bypass slots therein.

Figure 4 is a vertical section, similar to that shown in Fig. l with a conventional shoe on the lower end illustrating the relative positions of the parts with the ball and valve seats driven, by hydraulic pressure, to the lower end of the device whereas the seat is positioned upon the stop ring.

Figure 5 is a 'view similar to that shown in Figs. l and 4 showing the inner sleeve driven downwardly by hydraulic pressure wherein the sleeve expands the packing rubber sealing the well at the lower end of the device.

Figure 6 is a vertical section also similar to that shown in Figs. l and 4 with the ball and valve seat and also the inner sleeve and packing rubber in the positions las illustrated in Figs. 4 and 5 with the outer sleeve driven upwardly by the hydraulic pressure whereby ports intermediate of the length of the sleeve are opened so that concrete ilows, as indicated by the arrows through the ports into the area between the outer surface of the mandrel and inner surface of the well.

Referring now to the drawings, wherein like reference characters denote corresponding parts, the improved hydraulic cement retaining shoe of this invention includes an elongated tubular casing or mandrel 10 extended from a point 11 at the upper end where the mandrel is threaded into a collar or coupling 12 to a point 13 at the lower end where the mandrel abuts a stop ring 14, a shoe 15 threaded on the lower end of the mandrel, a packing rubber 16 on the outer surface of the mandrel, an inner sleeve 17 slidably mounted on the mandrel, an outer sleeve 18 telescoping over the inner sleeve and carried by a top collar 19, a valve seat 20 slidably mounted in the mandrel and a ball 21 adapted to be positioned on a beveled surface 22 of the valve seat 20.

The outer surface of the mandrel is provided with a shoulder 23 upon which the lower end of the top co1- lar 19 rests, locking wickers 24 positioned to receive a snap ring 25 as the inner sleeve 17 is driven downwardly by hydraulic pressure to expand the packing rubber 16 for retaining the packing rubber in expanded or sealing position, and the lower end of the mandrel is provided with threads 26 upon which the shoe or collar 15 is threaded.

The valve seat 20 is provided with packing rings, such as the O-rings 27 and 28 and also with shear pins 29 that extend into openings 30 in the wall of the mandrel whereby the valve seat is temporarily retained in an upper position, as shown in Fig. l.

The valve seat 20 is also provided with an opening 31 that is normally sealed with the ball 21 and the mandrel is provided with ports 32 that are positioned to be closed by the valve seat in the starting or inoperative position, as shown -in Fig. l.

The top collar 19 is provided with an O-ring 33 providing sealing means between the top collar and surface of the mandrel and the inner sleeve 17 is provided with an O-ring 34 that is positioned to provide sealing means between the inner sleeve and outer surface of the mandrel and also an O-ring 35 that provides sealing means between the inner and outer sleeves.

The inner sleeve 17 is provided with shear pins 36 that extend into openings 37 in the mandrel and the top collar 19 is provided with similar shear pins 38 that extend into openings 39 in the mandrel.

A sliding ring 40 with a depending peripheral ange 41 is positioned between the lower end of the inner sleeve 17 and the packing rubber 16. The upper edge of the packing rubber is secured under the ilange 41 and the lower edge is retained in a similar flange, as indicated by the numeral 42, extended upwardly from the shoe 15.

The shoe 15 is provided with a beveled lower end, as indicated by the numeral 43 and a shoulder 44 upon which the stop ring 14 is positioned. The upper part of the shoe 15 is provided with threads 45 to correspond with the threads 26 on the lower end of the mandrel.

In the design illustrated in Fig. la wherein the shoe 15 is replaced with a float shoe 46 the lower end of a mandrel 47, similar to the mandrel 10, is threaded into the upper end of the shoe 46 and the shoe is provided with a stop ring 48, similar to the ring 14. The upper end of the lloat shoe 46 is also provided with a flange 49 in which the lower edge of the packing rubber 50, similar to the packing rubber 16 is secured.

The lower end of the lloat shoe 46 is provided with a guide 51 of a suitable frangible material, such as Bakelite, and the guide is secured in the shoe with ribs 52 that extend into slots 53 in the shoe. The inner portion of the guide is provided with a cavity 54 in which a ball check valve is positioned, the valve including the seat 55 positioned to prevent ilow of material upwardly through the guide and shoe and a seat 56 positioned in the lower part of the guide and provided with bypass slots 57. A ball 58 is positioned between the seats to prevent iluid passing upwardly through the guide. A sleeve 59 extends between the seat 55 and the seat 56, the upper edge of the sleeve being positioned in an annular recess 60 in the lower edge of the seat 55 and the lower end being retained in a similar recess 61 in the upper end of the seat 56. The upper end of the guide 51 is provided with an opening 62 which is aligned with the opening through the valve seats 55 and 56 and also with a passage 63 extended through the arcuate lower end of the guide. The tloating shoe 46 is also provided with a shoulder 64 upon which the stop ring 4S is positioned.

The float shoe 46 is adapted to be threaded on the lower end of the mandrel 10 with the shoe 15 removed.

Operalz'on With the hydraulic cement retaining shoe positioned in a hole, hydraulic pressure applied to the upper end of the casing or well string drives the ball 21 against the valve seat 20 shearing the pins 29, which are the weakest of the three sets of pins, whereby the ball and valve seats are forced downwardly against stop ring 14, as shown in Fig. 4. As pressure again builds up in the lower end of the mandrel the luid passes through the ports 32 applying pressure to the upper end of the inner sleeve 17 shearing the stronger pins 36 and thereby permitting the sleeve to be forced downwardly against the sliding ring 40 through which the pressure is applied to the packing rubber 16 which bulges outwardly sealing the hole. In this movement the snap ring 25 travels over the wickers 24 snapping into the wickers and retaining the packing rubber in an extended or bulging position as illustrated in Fig. 5. With this step in the operation completed the pressure shears the pins 38, which are the strongest pins, in the top collar 19 driving the top collar and outer sleeve 18 upwardly to the position shown in Fig. 6 wherein the ports 32 are open and with the fluid withdrawn cement may be forced through the ports and into an area around the mandrel as indicated by the arrows 65. With this improved structure the cement is ilowed through the openings 32 downwardly and also upwardly, as indicated by the arrows 65 in Fig. 6, and the inner p0rtion of the mandrel above the valve seat 20 and the ball 21 is open and free of all obstruction.

It will be understood that other modicatons, within vthe scope of the appended claims, may be made in the design and arrangement of the parts without departing from the spirit of the invention. v

What is claimed is:

1. In a cement applying shoe, the combination which comprises an elongated tubular casing having ports extended through the intermediate part, a valve seat slidably mounted in the casing and positioned to close said ports, shear pins extended through the casing into the valve seat for temporarily retaining the valve seat in position in the casing, a ball positioned to coact with the upper side of the valve seat, a shoe positioned on the lower end of the casing, a packing rubber extended around the casing and positioned to engage the shoe, an inner sleeve slidably mounted on the casing and positioned to be actuated to expand the packing rubber, shear pins for temporarily retaining the inner sleeve in a position whereby the packing rubber is released, an outer sleeve positioned to extend over the ports through the casing, shear pins for retaining the outer sleeve in position for covering said' ports, and means for limiting travel of said valve seat, the shear pins extended into the valve seat being the weakest of the three sets of pins, the shear pins for retaining the inner sleeve in position being stronger than the shear pins of the valve seat and the shear pins for retaining the outer sleeve in position being the strongest of the three sets of pins.

2. In a cement applying shoe, the combination which comprises an elongated tubular casing having ports extended through the intermediate part, a valve seat slidably mounted in the casing and positioned to close said ports, shear pins extended through the casing into the valve seat for temporarily retaining the valve seat in position in the casing, a ball positioned to coact with the upper side of the valve seat, a shoe positioned on the lower end of the casing, a packing rubber extended around the casing and positioned to engage the shoe, an inner sleeve slidably mounted on the casing and positioned to be actuated to expand the packing rubber, shear pins for temporarily retaining the inner sleeve in a position whereby the packing rubber is released, an outer sleeve positioned to extend over the ports through the wall of the casing, shear pins for retaining the outer sleeve in position for covering said parts, and a stop ring for limiting travel of said valve seat, said parts being arranged whereby hydraulic pressure supplied to the casing above the valve seat shears the pins of the valve seat driving the valve seat against the stop ring at the lower end of the casing and upon building up said pressure shear pins of the inner sleeve driving the inner sleeve against the packing rubber expanding said packing rubber, and with the continued application of pressure shear pins holding the outer sleeve driving the outer Vsleeve upwardly above the ports through the casing, the

shear pins extended into the valve seat being the weakest of the three sets of pins, the shear pins for retaining the inner sleeve in position being stronger than the shear pins of the valve seat and the shear pins for retaining the outer sleeve in position being the strongest of the y three sets of pins.

3. In a cement applicator for use in wells, vthe comenvases bination which comprises an elongated cylindrical mandrel having ports in the intermediate part, locking wickers on the outer surface and threads on the lower ends, a shoe threaded on the lower end of the mandrel, a packing rubber extended around the mandrel and positioned with the lower edge retained in said shoe, a sliding ring extended around the mandrel and positioned with the upper edge of the packing rubber secured therein, an inner sleeve slidably mounted on the outer surface of the mandrel and positioned to engage said sliding ring, a valve seat slidably mounted in the mandrel, shear pins for temporarily retaining the valve seat in position in the mandrel with the seat closing the ports through the mandrel, a ball positioned on said valve seat, shear pins extended from the inner sleeve into the mandrel for retaining the inner sleeve in a position with the packing rubber free, a snap ring carried by the inner sleeve and positioned to coact with the locking wickers for retaining the sleeve in position with the packing rubber expanded maintaining a seal, a stop ring mounted in the shoe at the lower end of the mandrel and positioned to limit downward movement of the valve seat and ball, a top collar slidably mounted on the mandrel, and an outer sleeve carried by the top collar and extended over the inner sleeve and ports through the wall of the mandrel, said top collar being secured in position with shear pins and said parts being assembled whereby hydraulic pressure applied to the upper end of the mandrel is adapted to shear the pins retaining the valve seat in position therein whereby the valve.seat with the balls are forced to the lower end of the mandrel with pressure building up in the mandrel passing through the ports, acting upon the inner sleeve and shearing pins thereof whereby the inner sleeve actuates the sliding ring expanding the packing rubber and sealing the hole in which the mandrel is positioned, and wherein continued pressure shears the pins of the top collar driving the top collar and outer sleeve upwardly opening the ports through the mandrel whereby cement applied to the mandrel is adapted to how through said ports and into an area between the mandrel and hole, the shear pins extended into the valve seat being the weakest of the three sets of pins, the shear pins for retaining the inner sleeve in position being stronger than the shear pins of the valve seat and the shear pins for retaining the outer sleeve in position being the strongest of the three sets of pins.

4. In a hydraulic cement applying shoe, the combination which comprises a mandrel having ports through the wall thereof and positioned in the intermediate part, a valve seat slidably mounted in the mandrel, a ball positioned on the valve seat, shear pins extended through the Wall of the mandrel and into the valve seat for temporarily retaining the valve seat in position for closing the ports in the wall of the mandrel, a stop ring in the lower end of the mandrel, a shoe on the lower end of the mandrel, a packer sleeve on the outer surface of the mandrel positioned with the lower end retained in position by said shoe, a sliding ring on the mandrel and positioned against the upper end of the packer sleeve, an inner sleeve slidably mounted on the mandrel and positioned against the upper end of the sliding ring, the upper end of the inner sleeve terminating below the ports through the wall of the mandrel, an outer sleeve extended over the inner sleeve and providing an enclosed area at the upper end of the inner sleeve, said ports opening into said enclosed area whereby upon shearing the pins extended through the wall of the mandrel into the valve seat as a result of the application of iiuid under pressure to the mandrel and upon downward movement of the valve seat the ports are uncovered with the uid under pressure passing into the enclosed area, and shear pins at the upper end of the outer sleeve for retaining the outer sleeve over the inner sleeve and in the position of providing a closure for said enclosed area, whereby upon the application of the huid under pressure from the ports the shear pins at the upper end of the outer sleeve are sheared releasing the outer sleeve which is driven upwardly releasing the uid in the said enclosed area whereby said fluid lls the area around the shoe.

5. A hydraulic cement retaining shoe comprising a mandrel having openings through the wall thereof and positioned in the intermediate part, a collar threaded on the lower end of the mandrel, a stop ring positioned in the collar on the lower end of the mandrel, a packing rubber on the outer surface of the mandrel and positioned with the lower end against a collar threaded on the lower end of the mandrel, a check valve in the intermediate part of the mandrel and positioned to provide a closure for the openings through the wall of the mandrel, shear pins extended through the wall of the mandrel and into said check valve, the pins being formed to shear upon the application of pressure to the upper side of the check valve whereby the check valve is released and driven against the stop ring in the lower end of the mandrel, an inner sleeve slidably mounted on the mandrel and actuated by continued application of pressure for expanding the packing rubber to seal a hole in which the mandrel is positioned, an outer sleeve mounted on the mandrel at a point positioned above the openings through the wall thereof and providing a confined area above the upper end of the inner sleeve and into which the openings in the wall of the mandrel lead, shear pins extended into the mandrel for retaining the outer sleeve in position over the inner sleeve, the downward movement of the check valve opening the openings through the wall of the mandrel admitting pressure to said confined area, shearing the pins retaining the outer sleeve in position and driving the outer sleeve upwardly whereby cement is extruded through the mandrel into an area around the outside of the shoe.

6. A hydraulic cement retaining shoe comprising a mandrel, having ports extended through the wall thereof, a collar threaded on the lower end of the mandrel, a stop ring positioned in the collar on the lower end of the mandrel, a cylindrical packing rubber on the outer surface of the mandrel and positioned with the lower end in engagement with the collar on the lower end of the mandrel, a valve seat in the intermediate part of the mandrel and positioned to provide a closure for the ports through the wall of the mandrel, a bail positioned to coact with the valve seat, shear pins extended through the wall of the mandrel and into the valve seat, the pins being formed to shear whereby the valve seat is released and driven against the stop ring in the lower end of the mandrel upon the application of hydraulic pressure to the mandrel, an inner sleeve slidably mounted on the mandrel and actuated by continued application of said pressure for expanding the cylindrical packing rubber to seal a hole in which the mandrel is positioned, an outer sleeve mounted on the mandrel at a point positioned above the ports extended through the wall thereof providing a confined area above the upper end of the inner sleeve, shear pins extended from the outer sleeve into the mandrel for retaining the outer sleeve in position over the inner sleeve, the downward movement of the valve seat opening the ports in the mandrel admitting pressure to the said confined area, shearing the pins retaining the outer sleeve in position and driving the outer sleeve upwardly whereby cement is forced through the mandrel into the area between the mandrel and wall of a hole in which the cement retaining shoe is positioned.

References Cited in the tile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,178,844 Baker Nov. 7, 1939 2,187,635 Stamps Jan. 16, 1940 2,315,931 Burt et al. Apr. 6, 1943 2,335,387 Cantin Nov. 30, 1943 2,344,120 Baker Mar. 14, 1944 

